Protect Your Skin and Eyes the Right Way this Summer

Sun protection is critically important every day of the year, particularly during the strong, hot Florida summer! Remember that it’s not just your skin that needs to be protected, but your eyes as well. This guide will help you determine the best ways to keep your skin and eyes shielded from the sun’s wicked UV rays.

A Quick UV Ray Breakdown

The sun’s rays aren’t all the same. UVA, UVB, UVC, and HEV rays are all dangerous to your health in different ways. To begin with, UVC rays are the highest-energy UV rays and pose the most danger to your eyes, which is why the atmosphere’s ozone is intended to block all UVC rays. Unfortunately, as pollution and other environmental problems threaten the ozone layer more and more, you need to prepare your own protection methods to supplement the ozone’s. UVB rays, on the other hand, are actually the rays of the sun responsible for stimulating the production of melanin to tan the skin. People love this effect, but over time UVB rays accumulate to increase the risk of cancer and prematurely age the skin.

UVA rays are the closest to visible light. They have the least amount of energy, but since they can pass through the cornea and damage the lens and retina of your eye, they are especially dangerous. In fact, UVA exposure is to blame for many cases of cataracts and macular degeneration. The visible light from the sun known as HEV radiation, or blue light, can also penetrate into the eyes and skin alike. When it comes to the sun, nothing is truly safe!

Choose the Right Sunscreen and Sunglasses

Not all sunglasses and sunscreen options are equally as reliable, so it is important to be a discerning consumer. In terms of sunglasses, it’s most important to select a pair that blocks 100 percent of ALL types of UV light. Some only block UVA, but for full safety, you need to know that your eyes are shielded from all of the sun’s rays. The bigger the glasses, the better, because you provide the skin around your eyes with protection as well. Remember that UV rays exist even on cloudy days, so try to always wear your sunglasses when outside. Neglecting eye protection can lead to eyelid cancer, macular degeneration, cataracts, and blindness.

Sunscreen, meanwhile, requires just as much evaluation. Many sunscreen brands make false promises or use dangerous ingredients, so read the labels carefully. Your best bet is to select a sunscreen free of oxybenzone and octinoxate, since they are known to disrupt hormones and encourage tumor growth. Titanium dioxide or zinc oxide are better choices since they are not absorbed into the bloodstream, are not linked to negative health effects, and still provide important 100 percent UV protection.

If you can master the art of sun protection now, you will protect your body well into the future.